Congratulations! You’ve landed the interview, now it’s time to nail it!

Preparation is vital to creating a lasting impression that positions you to receive a follow-up call. One of the things you want to focus on is ensuring you ask questions that not only extract valuable information, but also show that you are serious about the job.

The right questions can have many benefits including helping you determine if the position and company is great fit for you. It also shows the employer that you’ve invested the time to adequately prepare, giving them a slight insight into your work ethic.

Armed with these six questions you can create an unforgettable impression.

#1 What are the key skillsets and attributes you are looking for in the perfect candidate?

This gives you the best understanding of exactly what they are looking for, even if it was previously mentioned in the job description. Having clarity on the core skills needed perform well.

ProTip: If you have a number of interviewers to see in a day, use the responses to this question to apply your relevant skillsets to future interview questions.

#2 What are some of the challenges of this position?

This is the perfect question for recognizing the totality of the job. Knowing all the tasks and benefits of the position, is nice, but knowing what your day-to-day struggles might be is a fantastic insight into what is going to drive your ambition

ProTip: Use the answer to this question to come up with possible solutions that you can include in your Thank You Letter.

#3 Without naming names, tell me about your favorite employee and some their most impressive characteristics

This is a great question for the person you will be reporting to directly. Your question indicates that you are ready and willing to garner favor and excel in the position. Hiring managers love people that aim for greater achievements, and their response will let you know where that bar is set, as well as reveal a little about the interviewer’s work style.

ProTip: Use the response to this question to tastefully ask more questions about how great employees are rewarded within the company.

#4 What do you enjoy most about working here?

This offers the interviewer a chance to open up and be a bit more personal with you, giving them the opportunity to talk about themselves, a key element in getting people to like and trust you.

ProTip: Use this conversation topic to segue into some of the benefits that are more important to you: flex-time, autonomy, teamwork, etc.

#5 To be successful at XYZ Company, what does it take to really be great at this job?

This question solicits answers that get to the core of a company culture. Your next boss will be generalizing, but has the opportunity to truly be clear on the expectations. When you ask a question like this, it reveals that you have the desire to excel in this position and fit into the company culture quickly.

ProTip: Same as ProTip #1 – Use this response to cater your personality and skillsets to other people you might be interviewing with.

#6 Would you mind sharing a few goals for growth for the company?

Again, this shows that you are committed to the company and ready to contribute meaningfully. You’ll understand the direction of the company (to see if this is an organization that will be around 10, 20 years from now) and while expressing that you want to help them get to their goal.

ProTip: You will be happier in your position if it is clear how your job contributes to company goals, so try to get this point cleared up with this conversation-starter.

These are some of the most compelling questions that we could find, but feel free to leave your own. Also, only expect to ask 1 or 2 of these questions per interviewer, as they are meant to create thoughtful conversations that might meander a little. Best wishes!